Downloaded movies and TV shows can only be viewed on the device you downloaded them onto. For example, if you downloaded Daredevil on your iPad but not on your Android device, then you can’t watch it on your Android when it’s offline.

Size and Storage

First, know one important thing: downloading and streaming consume the same amount of data. This means downloading a video isn’t saving you any bandwidth. However, if you plan to watch that video many times, you will save bandwidth by downloading it first and then watching it offline.

If you download a video for offline viewing, that means it is stored locally on your hard drive or memory card. So, obviously you would like to control the size of each download.

As an estimate, a one-hour standard quality video takes up about 250 MB. You can view the size of very downloaded video too.

The same Settings will also display how much storage space Netflix is using. If you discover they’re taking up too much room on your device you can delete all downloaded videos with a single click.

Netflix Downloads Aren’t Permanent

There is one significant difference between downloading a video from Netflix and pirating the same video (apart from the fact one’s legal and one’s illegal): Netflix downloads are not permanently stored.

Some videos also have a time restriction. Remember, you don’t “own” these videos. It’s like borrowing them from a library — Netflix’s library, in this instance. For certain downloaded movies, once you press Play, you will see a notification saying you have 48 hours to watch it as many times as you want.

Once a title expires, you can “renew” it a limited number of times. This doesn’t require you to download it again. Otherwise, you can remove it from My Downloads.

With the boring stuff out of the way, here’s how you can download Netflix videos on iOS, Android, and Windows 10.

How to Download Netflix Videos

Requirements for Windows PCs and Tablets

Windows 10 (downloads are not supported on previous versions)

Netflix for Windows (downloads are not supported through web browsers)

Remember when we said not all videos can be downloaded? Yeah, you need to look for that Download button sign next to any movie or show to know if it’s available. Click or tap that button to download the video.

The procedure is more or less the same across all three platforms. There are only a few differences.

On Windows — By default, Netflix stores all data on the primary hard drive. We did not have a computer with two hard drives to test, but most Windows 10 apps end up writing to the primary hard drive only.

On Android — Netflix allows Android users to save videos to their internal memory or an SD card. To download to an SD card go to Menu > App Settings > Download Location and switch from Phone Memory to SD Card.

Solve the Buffering Problem on Netflix

To view a downloaded movie or TV show, simply go to My Downloads and watch it.

You can watch downloaded content with or without an active internet connection. Doing so while you’re connected to the internet not only saves data, but makes skipping back and forth in a video instant, with no buffering time at all.

What About Mac, Linux, and Chrome OS?

I truly wish I had better news for you, folks. But if you use anything other than Android, iOS, or Windows 10, you’re out of luck. You do not have access to Netflix’s offline mode, and there are no hidden workarounds.

If you want to download content from Netflix, you’ll just have to wait until Netflix starts supporting the option in your favorite operating system.

What Are Your Comfort Downloads?

I have found that there are two types of Netflix downloads: the things you plan to watch, and the things you have seen a million times but could watch a million more times. These are what I call “comfort downloads”, and they’re there simply to put a smile on your face.

I’ve made sure my Netflix is loaded with the School of Rock movie, and a few seasons of Archer. And they keep me eternally happy.

What movies and TV shows are you likely to download from Netflix to watch over and over again? Please let us know in the comments below!